On The Night of Beltane
by justareader13
Summary: Romantic connections are made, passions rise and love is sealed on the night of the Beltane masquerade ball.


**I DISCLAIM EVERYTHING.**

**Characters:** Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, Merlin, Freya and Lancelot with cameos and mentions of others

**Pairings:** Arthur/Gwen (romantic-established), Merlin/Morgana (romantic-established), Merlin/Freya (romantic-infatuation/crush), Gwen/Lancelot (romantic-unrequited), Freya/Lancelot (romantic)

**Rating:** M

**Timeline:** Canon time period AU

**Summary: **Romantic connections are made and love is sealed on the night of Beltane.

**AN:** **This is an AU short story where the details of Beltane are changed to fit the story.**

_Where is she?_ Arthur thought as he looked around the dining hall through his mask for a certain raven haired woman.

_She's late. Of course she is._ He mused with annoyance.

His sister rarely showed up to these things on time, spending at least an hour extra getting ready. Of course it could be that she was there and he just couldn't identify her as everyone was wearing masks in lieu of the anonymity that was to be present during the Beltane Masquerade Ball. However he'd like to think he knew her better than that. He decided to study the dining hall more.

The large room was decorated accordingly for the occasion of Beltane. There were white and gold lace tapestries hung along the walls, Roman statues decorated the room, the pillars were covered in vines of blooming flowers. The tables were removed and only four were on the very edges of the room with platters of food adorning them. The food for the celebration was buffet style and self serve, no servants attended the convivial event and instead held gatherings of their own in the woods and village square and any other place they could fit. Arthur couldn't help but feel disappointed at that. No servants meant she won't be there. 'She' being his sister's handmaiden and the love of his life: Guinevere.

He found it ironic that it was Beltane once again and here he was head over heels for the serving girl who he had first kissed a year ago on Beltane as he tried to escape the celebrations.

**FLASHBACK**

**_ This is ridiculous._ Arthur thought to himself as women continued to flock around him. As a prince he should revel in the attention but it just ruined the anonymity aspect of the celebration. It was his own fault though; he should've worn less ostentatious clothes. There were four other men with his hair color and build that could've been mistaken for him but as he stood in fine gold clothing fit for royalty and only the richest nobility along with his coronet, he was wholly identifiable. He felt stupid; he should've listened to his sister. **

**Though he could pick Morgana out in the crowd in her white mask and rose dress that he felt was way too revealing, there were other pale skinned women with dark hair at court. None had the princess's distinctive green eyes but most men wanted Morgana for one of three things and none included gazing into her eyes. Arthur looked disdainfully at Morgana as she danced with Leon in her sleeveless dress. His father couldn't even pick her out unlike Arthur and he took to watching his son like a hawk. The 23 year old rolled his eyes as Lady Elaine who had latched onto him like a leech, chattered away.**

**"Lady Elaine, I have some business to attend to." Arthur announced. Elaine put on a coy expression.**

**"Do you?" She asked with her voice full of innuendo.**

**"Not that kind of business." The woman deflated at Arthur's rejection.**

**"I suggest you mingle. Sir Lancelot is free." Arthur advised before practically running from the room.**

** It was too much. As a prince he supposed he was expected to indulge in the celebration and take back a woman or two to his bed meanwhile as Morgana was a princess she was expected to show restraint. Arthur never understood that double standard. Surely it took two to tango but if he procured a woman for the night he'd be praised and let off the hook for simply 'sating a man's desire' as his father would say but the woman would be shamed and called a harlot. He never understood that. The roles were reversed here because ever since they were allowed at Beltane Arthur only brought someone to his chamber once, that first time he attended when he was 16, but Morgana had a man or a two (or three that one time) every year since she was 18. His sister enjoyed a good time, it was true. She couldn't have children due to an accident and she took advantage of the fact. He didn't like it at all and had nearly killed a knight or a lord more than once but he never told his father and he wouldn't stand for anyone speaking against his sister.**

**He was overprotective of her and he acknowledged it but when you live in a kingdom where your father despises magic and destroys anyone with it and your sister has magic you do become slightly overbearing. Morgana had always had visions in her sleep but when she was 11 and he 14 she started having active magic. She was terrified and told him. He didn't know what to do. All his life he had heard that magic was evil but his sister had it. She might have been his half sister, the product of his father having relations with his best friend's wife, but he still loved her and had promised his now dead Uncle Gorlois he'd protect her. So he had gone to great lengths to set up a relationship with the Druids and have them teach Morgana to control her magic. ****It wasn't always easy. He had lied to his father and said the Druid he brought back for Morgana, Aglain, was a lesser known teacher who was very knowledgeable in history and he possessed no magic whatsoever. Uther had allowed Aglain into Camelot on Arthur's vow of honor that Aglain was a good, law abiding man (which he was, he just so happen to have magic). Uther did not know that the "history lessons" were actually magic lessons to both Morgana and Arthur.**

**The prince didn't have active magic but the druid did feel latent magic coming from him, like magic was a part of his very essence the man had said. He said if the king had succeeded in killing magic he would have killed both his children, both of them being creatures of magic. That scared Arthur knowing he had magic in him but gave him hope because if he was alive so was magic and as he learned more about the origins of it he started to see how wrong his father's ideals were. Him changing his own ideas and becoming his own man had caused a rift between father and son that Uther didn't understand. Arthur was also beginning to value low born people unlike his father. He had knighted commoners behind his father's back, one of them being Lancelot, but once it was done it couldn't be overturned. There was no law against it. He also found himself noticing a certain maid, his sister's maid, Guinevere. She was all of 5'3 with wild dark brown curls, almond shaped brown pools of warmth, tawny skin that looked soft to the touch yet calloused, rough hands of a woman who knew what hard work was. That appealed to him to be honest, a woman with hands that showed that she hadn't spent her life idle. Morgana's hands were soft but definitely not the softest due to her use of magic and skill with a sword, skill Gwen shared. That appealed to him as well, a woman who knew her way around a sword and a woman who spoke up to him, one who said how she felt. A woman who was functional not ornamental.**

**The only women he had in his life were Morgana, her mother Vivienne and her sister Morgause before the latter two fled Camelot due to their magic. All women were outspoken, all were strong and formidable. Any woman he fell in love with would have to be too.**

**_Not that I'm in love with Gwen. That would be ridiculous and it's not like she'd ever love me back. She's think I'm a arrogant prat that snores like a pig. Her loving me? Preposterous._ He thought. **

**He felt a sudden electric tingling run through his body like a current. He only got that feeling when Gwen was near by but why would she be? She should be at the town people's Beltane celebrations. He was snapped out of his thoughts as she rounded the corner, devoid of mask, and walked smack into his chest.**

**"Oh, I'm so sorry my- Arthur!" She started apologetically before she looked up to him and immediately deciphered his identity.**

**_ Not that it would be terribly hard._ He reminded himself.**

**"Hello Guinevere. What are you doing here so late?" He said as politely as he could.**

**"I just wanted to start early on tomorrow's laundry. I just finished."**

**"You're not celebrating?" He felt a sense of satisfaction that she wasn't bringing any man home with her. Gwen blushed as she thought of seemingly the same thing.**

**"I don't... I mean I'm not the kind... I just couldn't think of doing such a thing. My father definitely wouldn't be pleased." The 19 year old replied.**

**"Right." Arthur said suddenly feeling a bit awkward as he remembered her father. Her father who his father had recently tried to execute but Arthur and Morgana put a stop to it. Gwen was obviously feeling awkward as well.**

**"Anyway I'd better go home before it gets too late." Gwen said softly about to walk away.**

**"Wait." He said impulsively.**

**"I'll... walk you home? Yeah, that's right. I'll walk you home." He stuttered out as he had no idea what he was doing. He just simply didn't want to part with her yet.**

**"You're a bit... conspicuous, My Lord." Gwen replied, eying his outfit.**

**"You know the word 'conspicuous'?" He asked before he could stop himself. Gwen looked taken aback by that ****and he immediately kicked himself.**

**"I didn't mean that the way it came out. I merely meant most commoners can't read due to lack of resources but you were always really clever so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're educated as well as beautiful." He rambled. He could punch himself for his idiocy.**

**"Well... thank you, I guess." Gwen answered hesitantly with surprise at Arthur calling her beautiful. She'd always thought herself plain, certainly nothing like Morgana's gothic beauty or the beauty of most of the ladies of court and the other servants. Having Arthur call her beautiful made her heart beat a bit faster.**

**"Um, anyway we'll past my chambers on the way to the front door so I'll leave my coronet and take off this jacket and grab a simple cloak so as not to attract any unwanted attention." Arthur explained as the two began walking together. They were comfortably silent walking to his room.**

**"Hmm, no guards." She mumbled.**

**"What?"**

**"There are guards outside Morgana's chambers. They won't let any man into the room save for you and the king."**

**"Must be father's attempt at keeping Morgana uninvolved for the night. A wasted attempt but an attempt nonetheless." Arthur answered. Morgana would just find somewhere else to indulge to her heart's content.**

**"Yes, I'd have to agree. Morgana is rather resourceful, Sire." He felt a swell of disappointment at the use of his title as he walked into his room and readied himself for leaving. He wanted her to call him by his given name or even 'my lord' was better than sire. 'Sire' felt too formal, especially considering the feelings he had for her that he steadfastly rationalized and ignored until he saw her and then there was no denying he was attracted to Gwen, not just sexually but intellectually, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. She felt like a piece of him that he didn't know he was missing but he knew nothing could happen between them. Knighting commoners was wholly different to falling in love with one, to marrying one, to crowning one. Falling for her would put her in just as much danger as Morgana was in by having magic. Gwen was quickly becoming one of the most important women in his life, matched by Morgana, and he were putting them both in danger. If Morgana's magic was discovered, the magic he helped her learn, she could be executed. If the sexual exploits he covered up that she indulged in not just on Beltane but regularly were discovered, she'd either be banished to a convent or be quickly married off to some man who wouldn't treat her right. If he fell for Gwen and started a relationship that was discovered she could be banished or his father in his ignorance would think she was a witch and burn her. He didn't even want to think of either woman dying let alone both. He'd be shattered.**

**"Arthur?" He snapped out of his drifting thoughts as Gwen called to him. He looked down at himself; he had unconsciously gotten ready while he thought. He had removed his mask as well. He walked from the room, locking it behind him. Despite all he just thought about he selfishly offered his arm to Gwen wishing to feel some kind of contact. She blushed but put her arm through his and let him lead her away.**

**"Is your favorite color purple?" Arthur asked suddenly as they walked down through the halls, out the door, down the steps and across the courtyard towards the lower town.**

**"What?"**

**"You wear purple a lot." He replied, looking down at her purple and white dress with her purple cloak.**

**"I do favor the color, I suppose."**

**"Purple signifies royalty, you know." He stated looking over at her.**

**"I could see you... as a queen adorned in purple, white and gold." His mind screaming at him to shut up but his mouth wouldn't listen.**

**"Well, I'm just a servant. There's no way I could be a queen." She said with a trembling voice.**

**"Maybe not now but perhaps one day." He replied wistfully. He turned away from her because the war between hope and disbelief on her face was painful to watch. They walked the rest of the way in silence, briefly stopping to observe the townspeople dancing in the village square around a bonfire. When they got to her house he bid her goodnight and started to walk away before she called him back.**

**"Why?" She asked with a face full of conflict.**

**"Why what exactly?" He asked back with mild confusion showing on his face.**

**"Why me? There are tons of other women, high born women, which you could pursue. Why me? I'm a simple maid with no great beauty and nothing to offer you let alone a dowry to give you or the kingdom." Gwen ranted. Arthur shook his head as he walked back over to her.**

**"I don't care for a dowry or any other worldly possession that could be offered to me. I don't care about bloodlines or titles because I know you, I know who you are. You are anything but simple; you are beautiful, kind, compassionate, strong and wise. You make me want to be a better man, make me want to live up to my full potential. You speak up when I'm being a fool and give the wise council of a queen, a true queen. That is invaluable to me, you are invaluable to me. I don't know why I didn't see a long time ago that you were everything I wanted."**

**"Arthur-"**

**"Shh. I know your concerns and I share them, believe me, but I have to be honest with you. My feelings for you aren't mere infatuation; they are much more than that."**

**"What are they?" She asked, fear and exhilaration rising within her. Arthur looked contemplative before he closed the distance between them, placed his hands to her cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss. Gwen felt like she was in shock and at first didn't respond but just as he was about to pull away she brought her hands to his cheeks and deepened the kiss. It registered to them that they were in public but thankfully his cloak obscured his identity. Arthur turned her so her back was to the door and he was pressed up against her. Her tongue flicked against his lip causing him to groan. His tongue met hers just as the door behind Gwen opened. Arthur caught her before she could fall and the two looked in embarrassment and fear at her father. He stared at them for a few moments before speaking.**

**"Guinevere... Sire. I thought I heard something coming from out here. Perhaps you'd like to get to bed now Gwen." He said in a neutral tone and even though the last sentence had a questioning inflection it was clearly an order. She peeped at him one more time before going into the small home.**

**"I assure you that I had no dishonorable intentions towards your daughter, sir." Arthur said, making sure to put an appropriate amount of respect in his tone.**

**"I know that because if you did your insides would be splayed across my front door... milord." He replied tacking on the title as an afterthought much like Gwen had when she had ranted at him about his arrogance in his bedroom after he was particularly obnoxious to her friend and Sir Gwaine's manservant, Merlin. Now he knew where that came from.**

**"Right. I think I had better get back to the palace."**

**"I'd advise so; they are probably looking for their prince." Tom said politely, like he hadn't just mildly threatened the Prince of Camelot. Arthur nodded before walking away.**

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Following that exchange Arthur and Gwen maintained a quiet relationship which his father was none the wiser about. More people than Arthur would like did know including Gwen's father and brother, his sister, Gwen's friend Merlin, Arthur's friend Gwaine and the court physician Gaius. Arthur sighed, perusing the room once more and lamenting the absence of his dusky skinned beloved before walking towards the drink table across the room. As he approached he noticed a woman standing with her back towards him - literally. The back of her strapless dress had a triangle shaped hole which showed off her ivory skin. Even from the back he knew who it was. He came up behind Morgana and glared at the masked man attempting to chat her up. His eyes flashed with fear before he made his excuse to scurry off.

"Must you always be so overprotective?" Morgana asked in an annoyed tone before turning to her older brother.

"Must you always be so... lecherous?" She smirked at that but didn't answer.

"You're lucky Father doesn't recognize you in that dress." He commented with disdain. The dress was white with blue patterned designs of a shape Arthur couldn't name on it. There was a sheer, black overlay on the dress except for the waist which had a large white belt with a diamond broach in the middle. While the appropriate length, it left from the top of her breast to her neck only cover by the sheer, black overlay. She wasn't leaving enough to the imagination in his opinion and the back of her dress showed too much skin in his opinion. Then again he was her brother, if he had his way she'd walk around covered head to toe in fabric so no man could see her. It was a nice dress of course; he vaguely recognized it as one he bought for her. Of course she had had alterations done to it that he had no knowledge of.

"I think it's quite daring and if he should recognize me I'll simply tell him the truth. I'll tell him you bought it for me, dear brother." Arthur scrounged his nose in annoyance prompting Morgana to do the same with a mocking smile.

"If I'd known this is what you would do to it I wouldn't have bothered."

"You're the one who decided to spoil me on my last birthday with all those new dresses and while your taste is better than I expected some of the dresses were just shy of perfection." Arthur rolled his eyes at that.

"Besides if you're busy annoying me about my choice of clothing how will you enjoy my present for you?" Morgana asked.

"What mess will I need to clean up?" He asked suspiciously.

"I have no idea what you mean by that." Morgana replied with a way too innocent face while plucking a grape from the table and popping it into her mouth.

"Sure you don't. Whenever you think up your little 'surprises' something goes horribly wrong and I'm left to deal with the fallout while you flutter off to brush your hair or whatever it is you do all day."

"Have sex or at least think about it." Morgana answered just as Arthur was sipping his wine. Her response made him start choking.

"You better not be serious because when I find out who it is, I'll kill him."

"You can't kill every man I so much as look twice at, Camelot's army will be reduced to near nonexistence."

"And you pride yourself on being a perpetual flirt, do you?" He replied with barely concealed disdain. He didn't like speaking of Morgana's escapades.

"We're getting off topic here. My surprise is a good one. You'll thank me this time." Arthur looked at her doubtfully. Her eyes switched to something behind him and a grin spread across her mouth as she adjusted her white and blue feathered mask.

"There's your present now." Arthur turned and froze immediately. He knew who the woman was in an instant despite her white, dove feathered mask.

"Guinevere..." He whispered to himself. She was coming down the stairs with obvious nervousness and he could see why. She was a servant masquerading as a noble in Morgana's clothes no less. Granted Morgana had never worn the dress Gwen had on in public, another dress he bought Morgana on her last birthday. She had been delighted at the dress. It was the only dress he got her that she didn't have modified and yet she said she was saving it for a special occasion.

_It looks better on Gwen._ He thought to himself.

It was a tight red, satin bodice with a ruby broach right by her cleavage which, thankfully, wasn't too exposed. Though Arthur would have enjoyed that he also didn't want other men, namely Lancelot, seeing too much of Guinevere. The dress had a white, silk skirt which flowed down and ghosted over the floor with sheer overlay. Within the overlay he could see red leaf adornments; there was also a bow in the back with long silk ribbons that brushed the floor as well. With red satin gloves on that went up to her elbows she easily passed for a noble lady if not a princess.

"It seems you like my surprise Arthur." Morgana commented with accomplishment filling her. Gwen was always beautiful, even some noble men acknowledged that. Morgana had more times than once intervened when a salacious nobleman wanted Gwen to entertain them sexually but now that she seemed to "fit in" to upper class she was turning heads. Everyone seemed to be speculating about who she was. She scanned those in attendance and noticed the way Sir Lancelot was staring at Gwen.

_He knows._ She thought to herself. Sir Lancelot was head over heels for Gwen but he had had a habit of running away from her in the past and Gwen had had enough and moved on. Now that she had he realized his loss and wanted her back. She wasn't particularly receptive.

_I wonder if Arthur would object if I turned Lance into a toad. Hmm... probably. Merlin probably wouldn't be pleased either._

"What are you playing at?" Arthur asked, snapping her from her thoughts.

"I thought that was rather obvious. I dressed Gwen up and I sneaked her here so she could occupy your time and you would leave me to my own devices. Nothing at all to do with me wanting to do something nice for the brother whose always kept me safe despite the circumstances and my maid who is as a best friend to me." Morgana answered sarcastically. They watched Gwen walk over to another man with blonde hair and sun tanned skin that could easily be mistaken for Arthur. He obviously was with the flock of women around him.

"Perhaps she doesn't know you as well as you thought." Morgana said with some amusement. Just as Arthur began to deflate Gwen turned and gave him a little smile. Arthur smiled back feeling himself soar. Surprisingly Morgana made no comment he turned to face her only to see she was gone. He turned back just as he saw Gwen leave his look-alike and start towards him, he met her halfway.

"What do you think?" She asked, nervously biting her lip.

"What do I think?" He asked in a slightly dazed tone.

"I wasn't sure about this but Morgana convinced me to come."

"I'm glad. You look gorgeous Guinevere." She blushed at his words which made her face stand in even starker contrast to her white mask.

"You don't look too bad yourself." She answered gesturing to him in his black pants with black boots and blue tunic under his blue, gold embroidered jacket. He looked more like nobility than royalty as opposed to his attire the previous year.

"I opted for less conspicuous this year." He said, she smiled at that prompting him to smile back. He grabbed two goblets of cider off the table and handed one to her.

"I've never even seen the ballroom on Beltane during the celebrations."

"Well as long as you're here I'll just have to make sure you get the full experience, won't I?" He said almost absent-mindedly. He didn't realize the innuendo that could be found there until after he had said it. Gwen looked a little surprised before she gave him a small, knowing smile.

"I'm sure you will." She replied before sipping on her cider, her eyes didn't leave his and his remained on hers even as he drank from his own goblet and thought about what exactly would transpire later.

Across the room Morgana stalked her own prey. Gwen wasn't the only servant she had made sure ended up at the Ball. She watched Merlin as he chatted to Lady Freya Lake. Freya was a lesser noble and was one of Morgana's ladies-in-waiting. The lady had perhaps the biggest crush on Merlin and Morgana knew he had some affection for her yet she prided herself on being able to grab hold of Merlin's attention and keep them no matter who else was vying for them. They were of a kind afterall.

She knew of Merlin's magic, she had literally stumbled upon it when she entered Sir Gwaine's rooms only to see Merlin doing chores simultaneously with magic while Gwaine did paper work as if it was a normal occurrence. They begged her to keep the secret and a short while later she revealed herself to him. The two had begun practicing together soon after that and grew stronger and stronger together. There was an undeniable attraction that developed between them that Morgana was more than willing to act on. Merlin was more reticent because of the great risk to the both of them but Morgana was never one to not do what she wanted simply because of the consequences and eventually she had broken his will down enough for the two of them to indulge in whatever carnal desires they wanted. Morgana didn't want to admit she was falling for him, she shouldn't be. She didn't care for love very much. Sure she supported Arthur and Gwen but she never truly saw herself falling in love yet here she was. She knew he loved her, he had said it and she hadn't said anything back. She knew that if she waited too long he'd move on, perhaps to Freya.

_I'll kill her before I lose him to her._ Morgana thought darkly to herself.

_No. No I won't. Merlin will never forgive me. _

She sighed shaking her head, she had had some dark thoughts from time to time. She had this hatred and rage bubbling below the surface at her father and the way he treated those with magic. Were it not for Arthur and the knowledge that when he was king things would be better for those with magic, better for everyone, she probably would have done something drastic by then. Something deadly but Arthur, Gwen and Merlin, they kept her grounded and sane and close enough to the light so she wasn't irrevocably lost.

Just then Merlin seemed to feel Morgana's eyes on him and turned towards her. She looked inquiringly at him as if to ask why he was still with Freya and not with her. He rolled his eyes but made his excuse to Freya and walked towards her.

"Hmm." She commented once he reached her.

"Hmm, what?" Merlin asked, though he knew she was baiting him.

"I'm just surprised you managed to tear yourself away from Lady Freya so quickly. I thought it would take the knights and very powerful magic..."

"Don't say that word here!" He hissed lowly at her.

"...to pry you away from her wide, innocent eyes. Her small, virginal body." She continued as if he had never spoken, glaring hard at Freya.

"Stop it."

"Now she stands over there, pathetically mooning over you and pining away like a child with an infatuation." She said scathingly as she glared harder at Freya. The other girl shuffled uncomfortably under Morgana's gaze. For a second Merlin worried Morgana's magic was doing something but her eyes were still green with no flecks of gold.

"Don't be mean." Merlin replied in a firm tone.

He knew Morgana, he knew she was being so mean because she was jealous and didn't want to admit it. She didn't do well with emotions especially when it came to him. He used to feel a certain indecipherable way that she could express herself freely with Arthur and Gwen but when it came to him she put her walls up and was difficult. She was fine with inviting him to her bed, fine with being affectionate to him when it suited her yet she couldn't say the words he longed for her to say. She wouldn't say she loved him, she'd even stop talking to him for a day or two every time he said it but she delighted in hostilely attacking any woman who even showed the slightest bit of attention towards him. Sometimes he thought she saw him as more of a possession than an equal with the way she acted towards Freya, like he was bound to Morgana and her alone and to so much as talk to another woman was a sin.

He saw some parallels between them and Arthur and Gwen in terms of how Arthur acted with Gwen whenever Lancelot was around. He acted like she was his by right or something like that but the difference between them was that just as much as he sometimes acted possessive towards Gwen, he was submissive as well. He gave himself to her equally compared to what she gave to him. He felt he belonged to her just as much as she belonged to him and so Gwen didn't mind the jealousy most times as long as he reined it in and didn't embarrass her. Morgana was different, she was more of a loose cannon compared to Arthur. They could both be catastrophic in their own rights, he soon realized that was a Pendragon thing, but Morgana was like a natural disaster the way she barreled into his life and he was the fool standing outside in the middle of a hurricane dancing around with no care in the world.

"It's not mean if it's true. She's a little girl, not a woman. Can you look me in the eye and tell you're attracted to her, tell me that the thought of her could drive you mad and wanton?" Merlin couldn't tell her that because he'd be lying. He liked Freya she was nice and she did give him butterflies when he was talking to her but Morgana turned those butterflies to dragons. She made his stomach do back flips and made his heart leap and flop around in his chest. However she could also break his heart, leave him wondering why he came at all if she was only going to tear him down because she didn't want to admit she cared, maybe even loved him. Yet he came anyway and never dragged himself away for very long.

Uther's voice suddenly boomed across the room.

"My assembled Lords and Ladies, please find a partner as the first dance of the night is about to begin." Merlin looked at Freya, this sweet girl who he connected with, whose innocence was beautiful, whose purity was gorgeous. Then he looked at Morgana, this beautiful woman who was the living embodiment of fire, who long since lost the rose tinted glasses and saw the world for what it truly was. She was about as innocent as Merlin himself was and she would probably be the death of him but regardless he grabbed her hand and dragged her away leaving behind a sullen and still innocent Freya. He wouldn't be the one to corrupt her, he couldn't be.

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**Reviews? Hope you enjoyed the first part. The next part will be up as soon as possible. **


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